LISTEN: An American Jazz Diva Plays French Chanteuse

The voice of jazz singer Stacey Kent has been compared to the taste of vermouth and the compositions of Erik Satie. Described as an irrepressible gamine, she's an American from New Jersey who now splits her time between Colorado and London. Kent's latest album springs from yet another national backdrop: France, where she's enjoyed particular fame and success. She sings the songs on Raconte-Moi entirely in French, trading between standards and a few new ones written just for her.--from NPR